The three people who have officially declared their candidacy for the District 9 seat in the San Diego city council are all Latinos.

This can be a reflection of District 9, which has a Latino majority and includes neighborhoods like City Heights, Kensington, Rolando, and the area near San Diego State University.

The official candidates are Ricardo Flores, Georgette Gomez, and Araceli Martinez.

Soon after Councilmember Marti Emerald announced last month she wouldn’t seek reelection next year, her chief of staff, life-long District 9 resident Ricardo Flores said he would try to replace his boss, who has endorsed him.

“Councilmember Emerald has been a tireless advocate for San Diego and for District 9,” Flores said. “She is a mentor of mine and I respect her tremendously. My work as her chief of staff has provided me with invaluable experience and a record of accomplishment with which to run on.”

Georgette Gomez, an environmental activist and associate director at Environmental Health Coalition, declared her candidacy last week, when she said that she will be “a champion” for District 9.

“I believe that District 9 needs a councilwoman who not only reacts when our communities organize, but someone who will proactively serve us to make District 9 the best district in our city,” Gomez said. “We need a champion of our neighborhoods, we need a champion of the environment, and we need a champion for local small business. I will be that champion.”

And attorney Araceli Martinez said she will continue to focus on helping families improve their lives.

“I am an attorney by trade,” Martinez said. “I focus on helping families in transition and students access their education and services they need. I am a mother that shares the concerns of many parents in our district. As councilmember, I will make the hard, community led decisions that will improve the lives of all the residents of District 9.”

The three candidates agree that, although District 9 has a Latino majority, the councilmember should represent every ethnic group in the district. District 9 was created with a Latino-majority in mind in 2011.

“I think the next councilmember should be representative of the diverse communities of District 9,” Flores said. “While I feel strongly that any candidate can represent District 9, I feel equally strong that the make up of our City Council should reflect the community we have.”

Gomez said that with her work as an environmental justice advocate, she has worked with the many communities in the district.

“Latinos are a big part of District 9, but so are the East Africans, Vietnamese, and all the other ethnicities. I plan on being a Councilwoman for all of them,” she said.

Martinez said a Latino councilmember will be able to relate to the issues the families in the district face in their daily lives.

“We make up more than half of the district and have unique backgrounds and thus perspectives regarding how we go about accomplishing what needs to get done in the district,” she said. “A lot of us are multilingual, which helps to really be able to speak directly with and understand the needs of the communities.”

There are many issues in which the three candidates agree.

All three candidates agree poverty and social inequality is a big issue in San Diego, and all three support the $15 minimum wage hike that was approved by the city council last year. They all praised Councilmember Emerald for her work during the eight years she has been in the city council.

Although the election is almost a year and a half away in November 2016, the candidates are already campaigning hard, getting their message out to the community.

For Flores, it is all about giving back.

“I’m running for this seat to give back to a community that has given me so much,” Flores said. “As our campaign proceeds I look forward to sharing with District 9 residents about my record of accomplishments in the community and earning their support. It would be an honor to represent District 9, a community that has given so much to me and my family.”

Gomez said that, in less than a week, she has had a tremendous response from the community.

“I am proud and humbled by the support I’ve gotten so far for my race to be the next Councilwoman of District 9,” she said. “I’m running on my own successful track record as a community leader. I am excited and look forward to putting in the hard work it will take to earn the votes of the residents in my district.”

Again, Martinez said her focus on families will help her connect with the community during the campaign.

“I work hard, smart, and pragmatically,” she said. “I want our communities to be valued and invested in, and I will be the strong advocate we need in City Hall to bring attention and actual improvements to our district, for the sake of our families.”